Cigarette case



J. F. MUELLER.

CIGARETTE CASE- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16. 1920.

15108364. Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

UNITED STATESLPAIENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH F. moELLEn. or cnrcaco, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. r warmm w. 20m

ornoaeo, rumors.

CIGARETTE CASE.

To all whom it may concemt:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. MOELLER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cigarette cases of that type wherein a row of cigarettes disposed side by side within the case 1s subjected laterally to the pressure of a spring actuated follower, and the foremost cigarette of: the row is partially ejected endwise through a delivery opening in one side wall of the case by means of a sliding e ector, the next cigarette of the row automatically taking its placeas soon as the foremost cigarette is withdrawn. Cigarette cases of this general type are in extensive use, and

not only form a handy and convenient dis-.

penser for the goods as theyare desired for use, but also protect the cigarettes from dirt and injury while being carried about.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple and improved cigarette case of the character referred to, and more particularly to provide an improved constructior. of spring pressed follower heads and guides, and an improved construction of ejector slide and guiding means therefor.

My invention, in a practical and preferred embodiment thereof, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is a top plan view of the case in closed condition showing by dotted lines a portion of the foremost cigarette projecting from the delivery opening of the case;

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation as viewed from the right of Fig. 1; a

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken in a plane a slight distance below the plane of the lid or cover;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in section showing parts adjacent to the delivery opening; and,

' Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, the rectangular box comprises the bottom plate 6, side edge walls 7 and 8, end edge walls 9 and 10,- and lid or cover 11 hinged to the end edge wall 9 at 12.

Mounted on the inner, sides of the side Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

Application filed February 16, 1920. Serial No. 359,022.

edge walls 7 and 8 parallel with and spaced slightly from the latter are a pair of guide rods 13, and through ',the side edge wall 7, opposite one end ofthe guide rod 13, is a delivery opening 14.

Within the box is a hollow follower head of U-shape in cross section comprising, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5, top and bottom walls 15 and 16 and a front or face wall 17. End portions of the face wall 17 are countersunk, as shown at 17' in Figs. 3 and 4, and in these countersunk ends 17' are holes 18 by which the follower head is slidably engaged with the guide rods 13. These holes 18 are sufliciently larger in diameter than the guide rods 13 to permit the follower head to cant or tilt endwise to a limited extent sufficient to enable it to follow any tilting tendency of the real-most cigarette with which it is in contact; and this tilting or canting capacity is further promoted by cutting away the ends of the follower head rearwardly, as shown at 19 in Figs. 3 and 4, the length of the follower head being approximately equal to the internal width of the box body. The follower head is normally urged 1 forwardly by a light zig-zag spring 20 hearing at one end against the end edge wall 10 and at its other end against the rear side of the face 17 of the follower head.

Cigarettes, especially when subjectedto lateral pressure, are rarely of uniform thickness or diameter from end to end, so that, when a row of cigarettes is placed within the box, as shown in Fig. 3, and the'pressure of the follower head is applied to the rearmost cigarette, the latter will almost always lie in a slightly endwise tilted or canted position; and I have found that it is advantageous in a delivery box of this character to give the follower head sufiicient end play in or on its guiding means to permit it to automatically follow such tilting or canting of the real-most cigarette as may occur, so as to bear with ,equal pressure at all points along the length of the latter. This is effected by the play between the holes 18 and the guiding rods 13 and by the rearward rounding or cutting away of the ends of the follower head, as shown at "19.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 5, in which the box appears up-side down in transverse section, that the forward end of the spring 20 bears against the face wall finger that is sometimes employed to hold the row of cigarettes level until the lid is closed.

' The end edge wall 9 is formed with a longitudinal slot f2l, and parallel with and spaced inward y from the wall 9 is a partition wall 22 that likewise has a longitudinal slot 23. The partition wall 22, as best shown in Fig. 5, is preferably curved transversely and is formed withchannel guides 2 L on its longitudinal margins. ,These channel guides receive the longitudinal edges of an ejector slide 25 that is transversely curved to fit the partition wall 22, and at its lower end has atransversely extending foot 26 that normally lies beneath or behind the end of the foremost cigarette that is remote from the delivery opening 14. To the ejector j slide 25 is soldered or 'otherwise secured the shank 27 of a button 28, said shank passing through'the slot 23 of the partition wall 22 and the slot 21 of the end wall 9. 'On the backside of the ejector slide 25 issecured a. strip 29 carrying a pin 30 to; which is anchored one end of a tensile spring" 31, the lower end of said spring being anohoredvto a lug or pin 32 on the end wall 9, the func- $1011, of this spring being to return the ejeciior sligde to its normal idle position shown in The manner of use is readily apparent from the foregoing description. The box havlng been loaded with cigarettes, the latter are successively ejected to a position,

shown by dotted lines in Figs: 1 and 2, in

which they may be readily withdrawn by the thumb and finger, by merely pushin the button 28! from the fullline position 5 own in Figs. 1 and 2 to the dgtted line' position therein shown, the follower instantly advancing the entire row of cigarettes, as the foremost cigarette is withdrawn. With the descr bed constructlon of follower and fol lower guides, the tendency of the follower to st ck, noticeable in some constructions now in use, is entire'ly obviated, as isalso the tendency of the cigarettes to buckle upwardly. Furthermore, the described constructlon of partition wall and ejector slide eliminates all danger of breaking or cracking ,the wrappers of the cigarettes in the operation pf ejecting the latter.

claim v 1.,I n' a cigarette case, the combination of a rectangular box adapted to contain a row I of cigarettes arranged side by side and having a delivery opening in one side edge thereof, a follower head slidably mounted in said case, a spring engagin said head above its longitudinal center line, thereby tending to prevent buckling of the cigarettes, and an ejector for forcing the foremost cigarette of the row endwise through said opening.

2. In a cigarette case, the combination of a rectangular box. adapted to contain a row of cigarettes arranged side by side and having a delivery opening in one side edge thereof, a pair of guide-rods mounted on the inner sides ofthe side edges of said box, a spring-pressed follower head formed with holes in its ends by which it is slidably mounted on said guide-rods, said holes beingsufliciently larger than said rods to permit a limited cantlng movement of said follower-head, and an ejector for forcing the foremost ci rette of the row endwise through sai opening.

3. In a cigarette case, the combination of a rectangular box adapted to contain a row of cigarettes arranged side by side and having a delivery opening in one side edge thereof, a pair of guide-rods mounted on the inner sides of the side edges of said box, a hollow follower-head of U-shape in cross (section, the face of said follower-head having countersunk end portions a ertured to engage with said ide-rods, t e apertures of said end portions being sufficiently larger than saidrods to allow a limited canting movement of said follower-head, a spring urging said follower-head forwardly, and an ejector for forcing the foremost cigarette of the row endwise through said" opening.

4. In a cigarette case, the combination of I of said follower-head having countersunk end portins apertured to engage with said guide-ro theapertures of said end poitions being sufficiently larger'than said,rods

,, to allow a limited canting movement of said I follower-head, a spring bearin against the rear side of the face of said ollower head in a manner to normally tilt the same slightly toward the bottom wall of the box,

and an ejector for forcing the foremost cigarette of the row through said opening.

5. In a cigarette case, the combination of a rectangular box ada ted to hold a row of cigarettes arrange side by side and formed with a slotted end wall and a delivery opening in one side wall adjacent to said slotted end wall, a slotted partition wall mounted 'inwardly of and parallel with said slotted end wall and formed with channel guides on its longitudinal margins, an ejector slide slidably engaged with the channel follower in said box. urging the foremost cigarette against said partition wall.

6. In a cigarette case, the conibination of a rectangular box adapted to hold a row of cigarettes arranged side by side and formed with a slotted end wall and a delivery opening in one side wall adjacent to said slotted end wall, a slotted partition wall mounted inwardly of and parallel with said slotted end wall and formed with channel guides on its longitudinal margins, an ejector lide slidabl engaged with the channel guides of sai partition wall and having a foot at. one end, a button 1 ing outside said slotted end wall and having a shank extending through the slot of the latter and the slot of said partition plate and attached to said ejector slide, a slide returning spring located in the space between said end wall and "partition wall, and a springpressed follower in said box urging the oremost cigarette against said partition wall.

JOSEPH F. MOELLER. 

